Birthday update and thank you note

My birthday this year crept in rather quietly. For most parts on 31^st I was sleeping, then working, then figuring out a map while R was driving me to a “surprise” destination which turned out to be this small village in Rajasthan, then feeling tired and zonked out, drinking wine and then sleeping again.

 

However, that “surprise” trip did me a world of good last weekend. I did take one day to tune myself out of work. So 1^st November was much better. I had at least stopped zoning out on R and could enjoy my wine on the terrace under the stars and the moon.

 

I also want to thank every single person who called me, emailed me, texted me and wished me on Facebook and Orkut. Please excuse me if I have missed out replying to any of your messages. All your messages have been read and they really mean a lot to me. Thank you.

 

***

Three people I want to thank specifically.

 

Thank you Dadabhai for calling me precisely at 12 all the way from Boston. Only one other friend (Chetan) called at 12 but surprisingly yours was the only one that woke me up. I must have ranted in my sleep, but it was one of the best calls I received on my birthday. I also know you will never read this, but I will say it here: I miss you very very much. Now more than ever.

 

Thank you Suchismita and Medha. I have never met either of you, never heard your voice, but I am glad I have you in my life.

On October so far.

It’s a very lonely Friday afternoon.

I am at work. I am staring at a blank document with a blank mind. All I can hear are the sounds of the relentless typing on the keyboard, my colleagues speaking in low voices, phones ringing and the fans rotating furiously as if trying to defeat the cool air of the air conditioners. I have papers on my desk, a blue pen without a cap, a half eaten bar of chocolate and the cold bottle of water. I lean back on my red chair and wonder what makes me so melancholic today.

Maybe it is because autumn has finally arrived in Delhi. That the sun has mellowed down and breeze is more soothing. That the trees are looking livelier and basking in their gorgeousness one last time before winter comes. Or maybe because I miss the fall in New York City. Where nature turns a shade of fierce orange and red and the chill in the air brings in endless mugs of hot coffee. Where people sit out longer and have dinner to savor the last few days of fall weather. Or maybe because I miss October in Calcutta. I miss the feeling of Durga Puja being over, the familiar feeling of approaching Kali Pujo and Bhaiphnota, the trips to Vivekananda Park for fuchkas. October used to bring the sunlight in my small balcony back home where Ma used to put the blankets out for sunning one last time before winter arrived.

Or maybe I am missing some romance. I am missing holding hands with R and walking around in the park and having dinner at an open air restaurant.

Whatever it is, it is a subtle and joyful but melancholic feeling. I miss the vibrant colors of New York City, I miss the soulfulness of Calcutta, but here in my comfortable New Delhi apartment, I can sit quietly in the balcony and stare at the vast October sky.

It’s a gorgeous month, October is. Isn’t it?

PS- If you want to read a better post on a happy October, do visit this blog. This is one of my favorite posts ever!

Edited to add later- I read Suchismita’s post after writing this and then I was wondering whether I should post something so similar. On second thoughts, I did.